"Guardian of the Falls"

Depending on the time of the year, the flow of water allowed through the series of falls affords different elements of each of the falls to become evident. So it is with Rainbow Falls. A fortuitous excursion with Tiny Montany and Ginger offered a rare glimpse of the guardian of the falls, beyond the rainbow, the froth and the thunder. "Guardian of the Falls" is an oil on canvas, 48" x 36," painted in 2004.

"Beyond Hole in the Wall"

The White Cliffs of the Upper Missouri Breaks are spectacular. In the off season it is possible to take day trips by motorboat, provided your guide has the proper permits. Otherwise, you must canoe in with your camping gear and haul everything out. It is scenic beauty which at times seems man made--architectural and sculptural forms abound. Some were pointed out, but others can be discovered on your own. You might see, as I did, sculpted busts. such as the one in the left foreground of this painting. Or, hiking up one of the many trails along the route, you might come upon seated figures carved out of the rocks by mother nature. "Beyond Hole in the Wall" is a large scale oil on canvas painted in 2005.

"First Stroke--One Hand"

In the 80s I did a series of watercolors about creativity in childhood. The "First Stroke" series deals with the imagination of children, how they think and how they develop their imagination through drawing and painting--hand/eye coordination, story telling skills, etc. I found it visually interesting to incorporate images from the child's imagination in the paintings. "First Stroke--One Hand" is a large scale watercolor on paper, 38" x 50," painted in 1985.

"Jamaican Children"

Here is the final version of the painting I started earlier. The pencil study was done in the 1980s, but I did not feel I could do it justice at that time. I wanted to capture the joyous enthusiasm of the children and a sense of the lyricism and rhythm of

island life. It brings to my mind some of my favorite music of Jamaica by Scotty and Eric Donaldson.

"Jamaican Children" is a 30" x 40" oil on canvas painted in 2010.

The Vision Mountain fire which took place in 1995 in the month of October devastated over 12,000 acres. This series of watercolors was completed in 2003 from photographs I took in the 1980s. My original large scale watercolor, which I will show at a later date, was completed in 1989, before the fire. I am not sure which of the landscapes depicted in my paintings remained unscathed. They remain fresh in my memory, and I hope to revisit the area to determine the nature of the damage and to see how far along the rehabilitation process has progressed. I treasure the walks taken here with family and friends. "Vision Mountain 4" is a watercolor on paper, 24" x 30" painted in 2003.

"Cacti"

As you make your way east on the River's Edge Trail you first encounter Rainbow Falls, and after a short hike, bike or skate, Crooked or Horseshoe Falls. Once again you will be surprised by this small, yet picturesque landscape. Yucca, sage, grasses and other shrubbery meet the eye, but to me the biggest surprise of all might be the presence of cactus at this particular point in the trail. This same cactus hindered Lewis and Clark in their epic journey and should have kept them from portage around the series of falls, rather than making their way back into the Missouri between the falls. To the modern day recreational hiker, the cactus is a reminder that the high plains desert is a part of the river landscape. Cactus flowers in bright yellow and orange provide an extra visual treat. "Cacti," oil on canvas, 72" x 48," was painted in 2004.

"Monkey Pod Tree"

In my childhood I climbed many a tree--koas, banyan trees and even guava trees were among my favorites. Short trunks and low hanging limbs were attributes of great climbing trees. Guava trees, though small in stature, offered their own rewards. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine a tree as magnificent as this monkey pod tree which grows in the Moanalua Gardens in Honolulu. Its canopy must be one hundred feet in diameter. I wonder if it would make a good climbing tree. If you are ever in the neighborhood of this tree, take an upward glance and perhaps I will be perched on one of the low hanging branches! "Monkey Pod Tree" is an oil on canvas, 48" x 60," painted in 2005.